A mockumentary is a parody of the documentary genre, often using the structure of a traditional documentary but with exaggerated or distorted elements. Examples include a fictionalized documentary about a rock band and Monty Python’s mockumentaries about sports competitions and historical figures. The appeal lies in the alternate universe it creates, with humor arising from accidental snippets of dialogue or images. Many mockumentaries are highly regarded in critics’ lists of best comedy films.
A mockumentary is a “mock documentary,” a parody of the often serious nature of the documentary film genre. While the term mockumentary didn’t enter pop culture until the release of Rob Reiner’s groundbreaking comedy This is Spinal Tap, many filmmakers over the years have created fictionalized documentaries and fake newsreel footage for comedic effect.
One such early mockumentary carefully detailed harvesting spaghetti from a grove of imaginary spaghetti trees. Another short mockumentary demonstrated a miraculous dry cleaning process where customers simply walked through a tank of liquid. The footage of the users emerging completely dry and clean was actually filmed in reverse. British comedy team Monty Python were known for creating full-length mockumentaries about fictional sports competitions or obscure historical figures.
The mockumentary film genre reached mainstream audiences first with director Rob Reiner’s brilliant but fictional documentary about a British rock band called Spinal Tap. The band was obviously past its prime when filming began, but an intrepid interviewer (Reiner) continued to explore the musicians’ backstage world, completely unaware of their rapidly fading fame. Separate and largely improvised interviews with the band members slowly reveal the grim truth behind their onstage personas.
A mockumentary is most successful when the structure of a traditional documentary is maintained or exaggerated. Interviews in a mockumentary are purposely boring, with the interviewer’s reaction shots obviously edited later. The film crew inevitably films the moments best left on the cutting room floor, like awkward conversations or completely self-indulgent interviews. The legitimate documentary style called cinema verite, which uses a hidden handheld camera to capture gritty moments, is used extensively in a mockumentary for comedic effect.
Another hallmark of the mockumentary is the ironic juxtaposition of reality and the characters’ distorted perceptions of that reality. Even as a director in a mockumentary describes a peaceful and productive day on set, the camera captures fistfights, estrangements and slamming doors in the background. In a mockumentary, the interviews and observations of the characters rarely match the chaotic reality captured by the cameras.
The appeal of a mockumentary lies in the alternate universe it creates. Audiences know that the play as a whole is fictional, but there is little of the standard setting and final formula found in traditional comedies. The humor in a mockumentary often arises from accidental snippets of dialogue or images, accompanied by a talented actor’s deadpan delivery of off-the-cuff quips. Knowledge of the documentary styles parodied in the film also helps explain some of the more arcane references. Many mockumentaries are highly regarded in critics’ lists of best comedy films.
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